Mexican Academy’s 2006 Ariel Award Winners
by Andre Soares
This year’s round of major North American academy awards ended last night with the presentation of the Mexican Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 2005 Ariel Awards, at a ceremony held at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.
Like at the American Oscars, the two top awards were divided between two films: Felipe Cazals took the Best Director Ariel for Las vueltas del Citrillo / The Citrillo’s Turns (described by Variety’s Eddie Cockrell as "a well-made but nearly impenetrable drama"), but the Best Film was the surrealistic tragicomedy Mezcal, directed by Ignacio Ortiz Cruz.
Other winners included Víctor Gaviria’s Colombian-made Sumas y restas as the Best Ibero-American Film, Best Actor Damián Alcazar for Las vueltas del Citrillo and Best Actress Mayahuel del Monte for Noticias lejanas. Del Monte’s vehicle, directed by Ricardo Benet, was chosen the Best First Film.
Veteran actor and telenovela producer Ernesto Alonso, 86, winner of one of the evening’s three Golden Ariel honorary awards, was unable to take part in the ceremony because he had been hospitalized earlier in the day. Legendary actress Silvia Pinal (El Ángel exterminador / The Exterminating Angel) accepted the award in his place.
Academy president Diana Bracho (Y tu mamá también) dedicated the ceremony to those who made possible the Mexican sound film industry, which this year celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Note: The first all-talking Mexican sound film, Santa, stars Lupita Tovar, 94, (who also stars in the Spanish-language version of Dracula). Tovar was married to producer Paul Kohner (S.O.S. Eisberg / S.O.S. Iceberg). Academy Award-nominated actress Susan Kohner (Imitation of Life, the 1959 version) is their daughter, and the mother of writer-director duo Chris and Paul Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy).
Canada’s Genie Award winners were announced on March 13. The winners of Quebec’s regional awards, the Prix Jutra, will be announced on March 19.
Photos © Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas
Winners of the Mexican Academy’s Ariel Awards
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